As wildfires rage, oceans rise, and extreme weather events strain vulnerable communities worldwide, the question is becoming increasingly urgent: Do people have a universal human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment?

While people may be used to the notions of fishing for food and drilling for oil and gas, another marine resource has increasingly caught the attention of governments and companies: metals and rare-earth minerals.

A pile of discarded smartphones, laptops, and tangled cords might look like trash. In reality, electronic waste (e-waste) is the world’s fastest-growing waste stream.

On its surface, Loch Carron is a beautiful, tranquil highland sea loch on the northwest coast of Scotland. The highlands there are home to a diverse range of wildlife, including pine martens, red deer, and oystercatchers. Hidden deep below the loch’s surface is an equally beautiful haven for starfish, flame shells, and beds of maerl, a species of coral-like red algae.

In the last 25 years, countries have seen a drastic increase in concern about climate change, which has spurred policies and technological developments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Positive, yes, but still a far cry from what is needed to avoid the destruction of coral reefs and more than a foot of sea level rise.